China’s firms ‘set to export 400 million vaccine doses’

China’s drug makers have arrangements to supply nearly 400 million Covid-19 vaccine doses to other countries, as roll-outs begin around the world and governments scramble for access to jabs, reported the South China Morning Post.

Three front-running Chinese firms – China National Pharmaceutical Group (Sinopharm), Sinovac Biotech and CanSino Biologics – have made those deals to supply countries in Latin America, the Middle East and Asia, according to public data compiled by both British analytics firm Airfinity and the Duke Global Health Innovation Centre in the United States.

Experts say political will and industry capacity mean China could play a significant role in improving limited global supply of Covid-19 vaccines. But questions remain about vaccine efficacy and data transparency, as well as how Beijing will balance its overseas aims with vaccinating its domestic population of 1.4 billion, said the SCMP.